


The Best Part of Waking Up

by Serena_A



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Brother/Sister (Folgers Commercial) - Freeform, Coffee, Getting Together, Inspired by Folgers "Home for the Holidays" Commercial, It's not technically incest, M/M, No actual siblings were despoiled in the writing of this fic, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-12
Updated: 2020-12-12
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:28:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27858349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Serena_A/pseuds/Serena_A
Summary: Merlin welcomes Arthur home for the holidays. It doesn't turn out the way anyone expects.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 40
Kudos: 135
Collections: WinterKnights 2020 - a Merlin Winter/Holiday Fest





	The Best Part of Waking Up

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the [WinterKnights](https://winterknights.livejournal.com/74193.html) 2020 Holiday Fest based on the [prompt](https://winterknights.livejournal.com/74243.html?thread=445187#t445187): "The [Folgers Christmas commercial](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMwFWDIFVCU) (you know the one) but make it Merthur and maybe add smut." 
> 
> Thanks to the lovely [aoigensou](https://archiveofourown.org/users/aoigensou) for the beta, and to the [Merlin Fic Book Club](https://discord.gg/smJtaUcdP8) gang for motivating me to write this.

###

Merlin gazed out the window, barely noticing that overnight the scene outside his house had transformed into an idyllic winter wonderland — trees coated with frost, holiday decor and strings of colored lights adorning every house, children laughing and playing in the snow as their parents looked on fondly.

His eyes were fixed on the end of the street, heart stuttering in his throat whenever a car rounded the corner with the mixture of hope and anticipation that each might be the cab that finally brought Arthur home.

Arthur had been away an entire year — longer than the usual military tour of six to nine months. But Arthur wasn’t just any soldier. He was the captain of an elite team that had been training local forces to fight extremism in the Sahel, an arid stretch of land just south of the Sahara Desert. Then, just when Merlin thought Arthur would be able to apply for leave, he’d been redeployed instead as part of the British contingent of the UN mission in Mali.

Merlin knew he should avoid the news for his own sanity, but he couldn’t help it. He’d spent the last six months obsessively searching for any mention of Arthur’s mission in the media. Which is how he knew that despite the fact that it was nominally a peacekeeping mission, the British had been conducting long-range reconnaissance patrols into hostile territory. Led by _his_ Arthur.

He thought of Arthur constantly, worried about his safety, loved and hated him in equal measure for being so goddamn _noble_. Brave, beautiful Arthur, all self-sacrifice and conviction, willing to risk his life over and over again for something he believed in, for the greater good.

He _missed_ Arthur constantly, and on some days the dull ache in his chest felt unbearable. As the seasons changed and the nights grew longer, Merlin felt his absence even more keenly, lying alone in his cold, empty bed.

He conjured up the memory of their last night together a year ago. The searing heat of Arthur’s skin against his, the weight of Arthur’s body holding him down, anchoring him, the desire and longing in every kiss, every caress, every thrust. Merlin had clung to him fiercely, desperately, unwilling to let him go.

“I’ll miss you,” Arthur had said.

“I’ll always wait for you,” Merlin had replied.

And then, finally, the wait was over. A black cab pulled up to the front of the house, and Merlin’s heart leapt in his chest. He ran to the door and flung it open with such a force that it nearly came off its hinges. Standing on the front steps was Captain Arthur Pendragon, home at last.

Merlin allowed himself a moment to drink in the sight of Arthur— blond hair lightened by desert sun, piercing blue eyes, strong jaw, skin tanned and rosy, broad, muscular frame visible even underneath his oversized jacket. Golden, perfect, _his_.

“I must have the wrong house,” Arthur quipped, a broad smile spreading across his handsome face, lighting up his eyes. Merlin saw a fondness in them, and something else, like a promise of something provocative. 

Merlin flung himself into Arthur’s arms and nearly sent them tumbling down the front steps. Arthur laughed as he steadied them, strong arms gripping Merlin tight. Merlin melted into the embrace, pressing himself against the full length of Arthur’s body. He shivered with pleasure at the contact.

“I missed you so much,” Merlin murmured into Arthur’s neck, inhaling the scent of Arthur’s aftershave, running his hands down Arthur’s back and appreciating the feel of hard muscle.

Finally, reluctantly, Merlin let go and led Arthur into the house. They went into the kitchen where Merlin had a pot of freshly brewed coffee waiting. 

“I waited up all night for you, you know.”

Arthur smiled at him apologetically. “It’s a long way from West Africa.”

Merlin perched himself on the kitchen island as Arthur poured himself a cup and took a sip. 

“Uhhh, _real coffee_ ,” Arthur said with a low, appreciative moan that was far sexier than it had any right to be.

Merlin wriggled on the counter as the front of his jeans grew uncomfortably tight. 

Arthur snuck a glance at Merlin as he reached into his rucksack. “I brought you something from far away.”

“Really?” Merlin felt his entire face light up. 

Arthur took a step towards Merlin to stand in between his legs, and pushed into his hands a small box wrapped in shiny paper topped with a red bow. 

“Oh,” Merlin said softly as their fingers touched, the contact sending jolts of electricity through his body.

Arthur was always so thoughtful, and his gifts always came with wonderful stories about the places he’d been and the people he’d met. It was his way of sharing his experiences with Merlin, and his way of telling Merlin that he was thinking of him even though they were apart. And as much as Merlin treasured these beautiful tokens of Arthur’s affection, he had everything he needed right here, now that Arthur was home.

Merlin carefully peeled the red bow off the box and reached out to fasten it on Arthur’s shirt, right over his heart. 

Arthur chuckled. “What are you doing?”

Merlin looked deep into Arthur’s eyes, silently conveying emotions for which there were no words. “You’re my present this year,” Merlin said finally, his voice rough.

Arthur’s expression suddenly shifted from lighthearted to predatory. His eyes darkened and flickered from Merlin’s eyes down to his lips. Merlin’s breath caught in his throat as Arthur leaned forward, hands braced on the counter on either side of Merlin, caging him in. His blood was throbbing in his veins as he felt Arthur’s warm breath on his skin. Merlin tilted his head and closed his eyes in anticipation—

###

“Cut!” yelled Kilgharrah for what felt like the hundredth time, pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation.

He glared at his actors, who had completely ruined the scene by looking like they were about to devour each other alive. The dark-haired twink with the cheekbones— Merlin—was perched on the kitchen counter, legs spread like a tart, with the fit blonde—Arthur—standing in between his thighs and leaning in way too close for anyone’s comfort. Or at least the director’s. The actors were, if anything, _too_ comfortable. They jerked apart suddenly at his barked command, apparently forgetting that they were on the set of a family-oriented holiday commercial. For bloody _coffee_ , of all the god-forsaken things.

“Let’s take it again from the top, with one hundred percent less eyefucking this time, ok boys? You’re supposed to be _brothers_.”

With what appeared to be Herculean effort, Merlin tore his gaze away from Arthur’s lips to face the director.

“But, like, are we _biological_ siblings or do our parents just happen to be married?” The wide-eyed innocence on Merlin’s face was completely incongruous with the lascivious body language he’d been exhibiting towards his screen partner just seconds ago. 

“Yeah, and how long have our parents been married?” Arthur chimed in. He’d taken half a step back from Merlin but had kept his hands bracketed possessively on either side of the other man’s hips. “Were we raised together as kids or is it a more recent thing, after we’d both moved out of the house?”

Kilgharrah could feel his eyes bulging out of their sockets in disbelief. “What the fuck does it matter?!?” he exploded in frustration. 

“Why, it makes all the difference in the world!” Merlin replied, giving him an odd look as if _Kilgharrah_ were daft. 

Arthur nodded his affirmation and explained, “If we’re not related by blood it’s _technically_ not incest.”

Merlin beamed at Arthur as if he were the most brilliant thing in the entire world. “Right! And if we didn’t even grow up together it makes the whole thing a lot less squicky.”

The titter of laughter that erupted from the crew only served to enrage Kilgharrah further. That was _it_.

“GET THE FUCK OFF MY SET.”

###

After the director’s outburst on set, Arthur was sure they’d be fired. Kilgharrah was so angry that Arthur could’ve sworn that his nostrils were flaring with smoke. But the production manager, a petite brunette named Gwen, had swooped in to try to salvage the situation, grumbling about a tight deadline and not having enough time to find new actors, so they were stuck with these idiots. “Where did the agency even find these guys?” she’d hissed at an assistant, who had just shrugged helplessly. 

Gwen had thrust a bunch of papers into Arthur’s and Merlin’s hands and then herded them into the dressing room, imploring them to, _for the love of Christ_ , read the scripts and get with the program before they resumed filming. She’d instructed the crew to take a break before chasing after Kilgharrah to coax him back after he’d stormed off the set. 

“I guess it's really not that sort of commercial,” Merlin mused as he sprawled out on the dressing room couch next to Arthur, long limbs and lean body on full display. 

“I’m not sure what sort of commercial you’re referring to,” Arthur said, amused. “I’ve never actually seen any incestous siblings advertising breakfast staples or cleaning products on telly before.”

“Exactly my point! These holiday commercials are all the same. So bloody _boring_. I don’t even know why they bother making new ones.” 

Merlin was pouting and Arthur couldn’t help but stare. Merlin’s plush mouth had been driving him to distraction the entire day, and Arthur kept wondering what it would feel like to sink his teeth into that plump lower lip.

“Your creative vision is far more interesting, “ Arthur agreed. Weird, mildly disturbing, but definitely interesting. The affirmation prompted a huge smile from Merlin, making his eyes crinkle up at the corners and making his dimples show. 

Arthur had known nothing about this commercial going in. He'd been handed the job at the absolute last minute; his agent’s terse text message that morning had simply instructed him to show up at the studio. He’d barely had enough time to throw some clothes on and make call time. He didn’t know what he expected when he arrived, but it definitely was not _Merlin_.

They’d been sitting on that same couch that morning, when Merlin had taken him through the elaborate backstories of their characters.

_“Wait, what? I’ve been in Mali for the past year?”_

_“No, just the last six months. Before that you were in Senegal.”_

_Arthur frowned, confused. “Hang on, I don't recall reading any of that in the script.” Though to be fair, Arthur had merely scanned the script he’d been handed upon his arrival at the studio. He barely had any lines to begin with; it hadn’t seemed necessary to get too deep into it._

_“Oh, it’s not in the script,” Merlin said airily. “I just made that all up.”_

_“You_ made it up _…”_

 _“Yeah. I mean, the script doesn’t give us a lot to work with, does it? I had to fill in the blanks. Who are these characters, what drives them? What do they_ want _?” Merlin emphasized that last word, raising his eyebrows meaningful._

 _And just like that Arthur found himself an active participant in Merlin’s fantasy world. It wasn’t hard, especially with Merlin looking at him with those completely open, guileless blue eyes and a hopeful expression that said he’d be more than a little heartbroken if Arthur didn’t play along. Arthur didn’t think he could resist if he tried. It was absolutely ridiculous, but he ran with it, relishing in how easy it was to be with Merlin, and how impossibly funny and charming he was._

_Merlin went on and on about their imaginary life together, and Arthur smiled and laughed, interjecting to ask questions and add details of his own. (What kind of dog do we have? Where’d we go on our first date? Who kissed whom first?)_

The longer he was around Merlin, the harder it was for him to concentrate. He’d gone through the shoot in a kind of daze, barely registering any of the instructions Kilgharrah had given them (which probably explained why the director was practically breathing fire). And really, how was anyone supposed to get any serious work done around Merlin’s mussed up sex hair that the stylist had been unable to tame, ridiculously plush porn star lips that he kept running his tongue over just to drive Arthur mad, deep blue eyes a man could drown in, legs that went on for days. Legs that would feel amazing wrapped tight around Arthur’s waist as he fucked Merlin senseless.

“I just think we’re onto something here, you know?” Merlin continued, casually draping one arm on the backrest behind Arthur’s shoulders. The move was almost a laughable cliché, something straight out of a teen movie, except it _worked_. Arthur was unbearably turned on. There was no physical contact, but Merlin’s proximity was enough to send a shiver down Arthur’s spine. “It’s too bad the director isn’t bold enough to show an _unconventional_ family dynamic.”

Arthur must have said something in response, but his thoughts were elsewhere. Merlin waved his hands around a lot while he talked, and Arthur had become fixated on his long elegant fingers. The unbidden thought of those fingers wrapped around his cock made the blood rush to Arthur’s face (and other parts of his body).

“Our chemistry on set is pretty amazing.” Merlin looked at Arthur suggestively from underneath impossibly thick eyelashes. “Be a shame not to do something with it, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Hmmm?” Arthur said, suddenly realizing that Merlin had asked him a question. “Oh, yes. Definitely.” 

Merlin angled his body towards him and leaned in, blue eyes dark with intent. “So, do you want to?” 

“Want to… uh, what?” Athur felt like he was drowning, the sudden lack of oxygen to his brain making it hard to think. 

“Do something with it.” Merlin’s voice had dropped low and husky, sending heat pooling in Arthur’s gut.

Arthur swallowed hard. God, yes. _“Yes.”_

The word was barely out of his mouth when Merlin surged forward, his lips crashing into Arthur’s in a heady kiss. In one swift, surprisingly graceful motion, Merlin was on his lap, grinding down on Arthur’s cock, already half hard. An embarrassing sound escaped Arthur’s throat. It only emboldened Merlin, who eagerly licked into his mouth, deepening the kiss. 

Merlin, underneath his boyish charm and deceptive innocence, was a filthy kisser. He claimed Arthur’s mouth with a confidence that caught Arthur off guard and was helpless to resist. Arthur kissed him back hungrily, parting his lips and relishing in the hot slide of Merlin’s tongue tangling with his. 

Arthur twisted his hands in Merlin’s messy curls and pulled his head back, exposing the pale expanse of his throat. Arthur grazed his lips and tongue down Merlin’s jawline, past the delicious scrape of stubble, down the length of his neck, then sank his teeth into the tender flesh at the junction of Merlin’s neck and shoulder, making Merlin whimper. 

Arthur was fully, painfully hard now, and the wanton sounds Merlin was making as he bucked his hips and rubbed his cock against Arthur’s through the strained fabric of their jeans was driving him crazy.

Arthur gripped Merlin’s hips and forced him to still his movements, eliciting a whine of protest from Merlin. “You need to slow down or you’re going to make me come,” Arthur gasped, struggling for control over his body. 

“Would that be so bad?” Merlin laughed breathlessly. He bent down for another fierce kiss, sending a wave of thundering, half-delirious want crashing through Arthur. 

Arthur slid his hands under Merlin’s shirt, running them over the muscles of Merlin’s flank and back, needing to feel the heat of bare skin under his fingers. Merlin reciprocated by pushing up Arthur’s shirt, raking his hands through the hair on Arthur’s chest. They pulled at each other’s clothes fruitlessly, desperate to get them out of the way but unwilling to break the kiss. 

Finally Merlin drew back, panting, eyes gleaming with determination. He pushed Arthur’s jacket off his shoulders and down his arms, then tossed it across the room, followed immediately after by Arthur’s shirt. Arthur grabbed the hem of Merlin’s shirt and pulled it off, and then allowed himself a moment to stare.

Merlin was gorgeous, all lean lines and taut muscle, dark hair on his belly sharply contrasting smooth, pale skin. Arthur drew Merlin down to kiss him again, hands roaming, discovering the shape and texture of each other’s bodies.

Merlin slid his hand down to cup Arthur through his jeans and Arthur moaned into his mouth as Merlin stroked him through the rough denim. Arthur bucked his hips into the touch, desperate for more pressure. Encouraged, Merlin’s deft fingers undid Arthur’s fly and pulled down his jeans and pants to release Arthur’s aching cock. _Oh god_ , Arthur thought, transfixed as those pale fingers he’d been fantasizing about all day gripped his cock and stroked him firmly, thumbing at the slit and spreading precome down the shaft.

Arthur was dangerously close to coming, but Merlin must have sensed it and kept him on edge. Merlin squeezed the base of his cock before pushing himself off Arthur’s lap and sliding to the floor on his knees between Arthur’s legs.

Merlin lavished his attention on Arthur’s inner thighs, tracing wet, hot circles with his tongue, licking up and down the crease where his thigh met his groin, mouthing at Arthur’s balls, teasing and tasting everywhere except where Arthur wanted him the most. 

Arthur bit back a groan and shuddered as Merlin continued to inflict sweet torture. He clenched his fists and fought the urge to grab Merlin by the hair and thrust his cock past those stupidly gorgeous lips. 

Then, finally deciding to put Arthur out of his misery, Merlin looked up at him from underneath those thick lashes, his eyes blown black with lust, and licked a slow wet line from Arthur’s balls to the tip of his cock. Arthur struggled to breathe as his gaze traced the lines of Merlin’s face, from his devastating cheekbones to the line of his jaw, and watched as those sinful lips finally stretched around the head of his cock. Merlin looked positively wicked and it took all Arthur’s self-control not to come right then into the perfect moist heat of Merlin’s mouth.

Merlin held Arthur’s gaze as he started to suck, lips moving up and down Arthur’s cock, tongue pressing along the base, one hand gently tugging on Arthur’s balls. “Fuck... Merlin... Oh my god—” Arthur gasped as he buried his hands in Merlin’s thick curls and thrust into his mouth.

Merlin tightened his grip on Arthur’s hips and responded by sucking harder, taking his cock in deeper, humming with satisfaction, sending vibrations through Arthur’s entire body. The last vestiges of Arthur’s restraint broke and he found himself keening incoherently, surrendering helplessly to Merlin’s ministrations.

Before long, Arthur felt a familiar pull curling low in his belly. Close, he was so close, but tempting as it was to let go and come down Merlin’s throat, it wasn’t what he wanted right now. “Wait,” Arthur said hoarsely. “Stop.”

Merlin drew back and released Arthur’s cock from his mouth with an obscene pop. Merlin looked so fucking hot, cheeks flushed, red lips swollen and glistening with spit and precome. The sight of him debauched like this was intoxicating; it made Arthur dizzy with need. 

He reached out a hand to cup Merlin’s face, his thumb brushing over a delicate cheekbone. Merlin looked up to meet his gaze, naked desire written all over his face. “Tell me what you want, Arthur,” Merlin said, his voice pitched low and rough. 

Arthur’s pulse was racing, liquid fire pumping through his veins. He wanted _everything_. He wanted to lose himself in Merlin, to taste every inch of him, to watch him come apart. There wasn’t enough time in the world for everything he wanted to do to Merlin, for what he wanted Merlin to do to him. But right now—

“Want to see— touch— feel—” 

Arthur was barely coherent, but Merlin seemed to instinctively understand. He kept his eyes locked on Arthur’s as rose to his feet, stripped the rest of his clothing, then crawled back over Arthur on the couch.

Merlin braced his hands on the backrest of the couch as he straddled Arthur. He bent down to capture Arthur’s lips in a searing kiss, and Arthur shuddered with arousal as he tasted himself on Merlin’s tongue. Merlin continued to kiss him urgently as he rocked his hips and Arthur groaned with pleasure as he felt the hot hardness of Merlin’s cock sliding against his.

As their kisses grew increasingly desperate, Merlin reached for Arthur’s wrist and guided him between them, wrapping Arthur’s hand around both their leaking cocks. Merlin’s hand covered his own and started stroking their lengths together rhythmically, and the silky hot sensation set every nerve in Arthur’s body aflame. It was bliss, pure bliss.

They were both panting and moaning into each other’s mouths now. Merlin had picked up the pace, and Arthur could feel Merlin’s movements starting to become frenzied and uncoordinated. Arthur gasped as his hips bucked up, pushing into the tight grip of both their hands.

Arthur’s vision whited out as he came hard, a garbled approximation of Merlin’s name on his lips as he pulsed thick ropes of come all over both of them. Seconds later, Merlin came in hot wet spurts between them with a low, guttural moan, adding his release to the sticky mess on Arthur’s belly. 

Arthur collapsed against the couch, breathing hard as he came down from his orgasm. Above him, Merlin looked utterly wrecked, glistening with sweat and splattered with come, and he was just the sexiest fucking thing Arthur had ever seen. 

Merlin reached out a hand and raked it through their combined come, biting his lip as he spread it all over Arthur’s abs and chest. “ _Fuck_ ,” he said, almost reverently. “You look incredible like this.”

Arthur didn’t know what to say to that, so instead he responded with a kiss — slow and deep, with less urgency but just as much heat. When they came up for air, Merlin leaned in to rest his forehead against Arthur’s, gazing into his eyes, a small smile playing at his lips.

Arthur was overwhelmed. The raw, burning desire that had consumed him earlier had given way to something else, something surprisingly soft and poignant he couldn’t explain, but wanted to embrace. Arthur knew it was insane; he'd literally just met this man that morning. But there was just something about Merlin that he couldn't quite put his finger on. For once in his life, he decided not to overthink it. 

He was about to say something uncharacteristically soppy when a pounding on the door made them both jump.

 _Shit._ Gwen was back.

“Alright, I’ve managed to talk the director off the ledge. We start shooting again in five,” the production manager said in her brisk, no-nonsense tone. “Are you boys ready?”

“Yes!” Merlin said.

“No!” Arthur exclaimed at the same time. 

Arthur widened his eyes at Merlin, who only grinned back wickedly. They were both naked and covered in come, and Arthur was pretty sure neither of them had thought to lock the door. Ice-cold panic washed over Arthur as he heard the knob start to turn, but then Gwen seemed to pause and reconsider.

“...Are you two _fucking_ in there?!?”

“Yes!” 

“No!”

Arthur buried his face in his hands in mortification.

“Not anymore,” Merlin clarified unhelpfully.

“ _Oh for the love of Christ_ —”

Arthur was certain they’d be fired now, but when he looked up at Merlin he felt his heart clench with surprising emotion. Merlin was like a force of nature, bright smiles and endless chatter and infectious enthusiasm. He was open, unguarded, wore his heart on his sleeve, and something about him made Arthur want to open up, too. 

It was worth it.

“You’re my present this year,” Arthur murmured, nuzzling at Merlin’s neck.

Merlin giggled. “That’s my line.”

On the other side of the dressing room door, they heard a loud, long-suffering sigh. 

“Sod it,” Gwen said in resignation. “You know what? I don’t even care, as long as you’ve gotten it out of your system and are ready to do the scene _as it’s written_. Can you do that?”

“Yes,” Merlin and Arthur said in unison. They grinned at each other.

“Good. Now get decent and get your arses on set. Merry fucking Christmas, idiots.”


End file.
